MC 840

Available at authorized resellers

Article Number: 482838

Top class large-diaphragm condenser microphone

Studio or Live Applications Vocals, Choirs, Instruments

The MC 840 is a very compact large diaphragm studio microphone with a gold vaporised double diaphragm and 5 selectable polar patterns (omnidirectional, wide cardioid, cardioid, hypercardioid, figure 8). On the basis of the MC 740 microphone capsule this new microphone has been equipped with an improved low-noise pre-amplifier and an impedance transformer without transducer. Due to a two-stage roll-off filter (80 and 160 Hz) compensating the close miking effect and a two-stage pre-attenuation (-10 and -20 dB) the MC 840 is a superior microphone for any recording application. It has been designed without compromise to capture every sound detail with absolute clarity and purity. Applications for the MC 840 include recording orchestras resulting in a superb transparent sound.

"(...) Today, the double-diaphragm condenser microphone MC 840 is our test object (...). Meanwhile, both gold-coated large diaphragm capsules can be omnidirectional, turn eight, wide cardioid and hypercardioid. Surely only the anterior capsule will be used frequently, which in this design principle results in the known "normal" cardioid polar pattern.

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The Beyerdynamic is operated with phantom power. It is pleasant that also 12 volts are completely sufficient for the device, the permitted maximum is 52.

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In this test I did not expect a colourful sound fireworks or other spraying of individuality anyway. So I approached as part of our series of tests the MC fairly neutral, as expected the Beyerdynamic carried out its duty without emotion." It does not care " I commented on the microphone through the window of the control room. My colleague called the microphone even the "social worker among the large-diaphragm microphones". But one does the 840 wrong when one makes fun of it: it is working dutifully and exceptionally conscientious .

It does its job with a reliably high quality remaining unobtrusive and never pushing itself in the foreground. What perhaps may still sound a bit negative, is meant different: Disturbing noises or even errors in the signal are nowhere. The highs are finely resolved, but never harsh. In the bass range the microphone is rather "cool" and dry, it is never unclean, spongy or "boomy". Excellent! As expected the different polar patterns work in conjunction to their frequency response (and of course its directivity) - the "textbook" sends its regards.

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Conclusion: The Beyerdynamic MC 840 N is a multifunctional, good-natured, but surely something characterless tool. As an all-rounder in my opinion it constitutes an excellent basis in studios where more than just voices are recorded or where microphones with colorations are not needed or are additionally available. For a newcomer, I would recommend the microphone only conditionally, because it requires the skills of engineers and other equipment to form from the signal what is ultimately needed. With the MC 840 the German manufacturer has a typical German piece of engineering on the market: Technically excellent, at the same time modest and useful. You will still hear and can’t get enough of this microphone in 40 years. The chances are very good that it will still work as on the first day!

Pro

Regarding the sound a very neutral and discreet microphoneSuitable for a number of applicationsVery good workmanship

Beyerdynamic regards the MC 840 as an all-rounder. This is the reason why the frequency response has been designed for neutrality and airiness. The diagram displays a linear frequency response curve up to 4 kHz, from there is a slight treble increase, which reaches its peak at approximately 10 kHz.

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As requested by the designers, the MC 840 sounds very neutral and honest. The speech is pleasantly direct with a good pulse accuracy

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The basic sound is slim the beyerdynamic microphone and definitely not sophisticated.

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So I see the MC 840 in a classical context, where absolute fidelity of sound is required.